Schools Prepare For The Worst With Mock Shooting Drills

Schools Prepare For The Worst With Mock Shooting Drills

A nightmare comes to life as cops hunt a crazed gunman in a school. Terrified students run for their lives. A school administrator tells everyone to hide. And a panicked parent wants to know what's happened to his kids.

Fortunately, it's not a real school shooting. It's a drill at the Liberty Middle School in West Orange, New Jersey.

Students are pretending to be wounded so police and school officials can prepare for a moment they hope they will never have to face. Like the horrifying scene at Sandy Hook Elementary in Newtown, Connecticut, that left 26 dead.

And this week's near-disaster at an elementary school in Decatur, Georgia, where a gunman armed with an AK-47 assault rifle and 500 rounds of ammunition was talked into surrendering by the courageous school bookkeeper, Antoinette Tuff.

The dramatic, just-released 911 call Tuff made moments after 20-year-old Michael Brandon Hill took her hostage and opened fire on police.

Tuff said, "He says he don't care if he die. He don't have nothing to live for."Tuff: "Ooh, he just went outside and started shooting!"911 Operator: "Ok."

Somehow, Tuff managed to stay calm and actually convinced the gunman to surrender without hurting anyone.

Tuff told Hill, "It's going to be alright sweetheart. I just want you to know that I love you though, ok? And I am proud of you. That's a good thing that you just giving up."

She's now being hailed as a national hero.

Tuff: "I have never been so scared in all the days of my life."911 Operator: "But you did great."Tuff: "Oh Jesus!"

The Department of Homeland Security is sponsoring drills like this all across the country to test the response of law enforcement agencies and school officials.

Dave Naimasister of the West Orange Police Department said, "The blood was pumping and this situation is as real as you're going get."

It's intended to be as realistic as possible, with cops wearing gas masks and students covered in fake blood. The chaos even included a car bomb.

As Steven Savage, who played the panicked parent told INSIDE EDITION, it's important practice for a worst-case scenerio that has become terrifyingly real in all of our schools.

"If Sandy Hook has taught us anything, it's that if bad people want to do bad things, no one is safe," said Savage.